Tag Archive 'depression'

Feb. 28, 1860 “It is good for me to have trials—and I am in a state of chronic trial, which only those who come very close to me know. This has been the way with me for many years, the clouds of one kind or another returning after the rain, or, as I have before […]

I said a few post awhile back that I would post a little series from Newman’s letters in the 1860s when (in private) we know he was severely depressed after 15 years a Catholic and constantly abused and shelved. He had real difficulty getting up in the morning. This is in a private journal called […]

When John Henry Newman was 60 he faced a serious and prolonged crisis in his life. He had been a Catholic for 15 years and was so depressed he could hardly get out bed in the morning. An account of this is in his Autobiographical Writings which were only published once 50 years ago. I […]

The Church liturgy reflects the natural reality of the northernish part of the world…darker, too dry or too wet…colder. Can we make it through the long winter? Will spring just bring more disaster? The scripture readings from Daniel, the Gospel readings about the end of time, the Second Coming…try to cross out the happy shopping, […]

I cannot leave August behind without sharing Newman’s honest description of the depression he suffered as a Catholic. I do this because we think of saints as cheerful in God’s service even though John of the Cross writes horrific accounts of the dark night of the soul, Therese of Lisieux suffered near despair the last […]

The stages of dying lingo is commonplace now and taken, like everything else, out of context. The dying…you and I…work hard through the different stages…and the reward for giving up denial and bargaining is…depression! And then we cross a line…into “acceptance.” Something like peace, something like satori. Crossing this line, I think, we leave behind, […]

When I was at the Spiritual Life center, a very good priest, a Jesuit studying marine biology and preparing for a mission on very isolated island in western Micronesia, asked me what I did all day. The center was on the fourth floor of a dorm/classroom (thanks to the wisdom and kindess of great Franciscan […]